Impact of species identity and phylogenetic relatedness on biologically-mediated plant-soil feedbacks in a low and a high intensity agroecosystem

View/Open

Date

Author

Metadata

Abstract

Aims
Plant species-specific effects on soil biota and their impacts on subsequent plant growth, i.e. plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs, henceforth), are major drivers in natural systems but little is known about their role in agroecosystems. We investigated the presence and magnitude of PSFs in two contrasting agricultural settings and tested the importance of species identity and phylogenetic relationships in determining PSFs.
Methods
We compared PSFs that developed from an intensified agricultural site and a nearby non-cultivated pasture. Four weed and seven crop species were grown in soil inoculated with either biologically active or sterilized soils from each system. Four crop response species were grown to estimate PSFs.
Results
PSFs were species-specific. The identity of currently- and previously-planted species and their interactions explained over 80 % of the variation in feedbacks. Biota from the intensified agricultural site produced negative feedbacks in three of the four response species. Phylogenetic relationships partially explained PSFs.
Conclusions
PSFs can alter crop growth and may be altered by agricultural practices. The species-specific effect to soil biota should be taken into account when assessing the extent to which crop and weed species could influence subsequent plant growth.

URI

DOI

Citation

Miller, Zachariah J., and Fabian D. Menalled. Impact of species identity and phylogenetic relatedness on biologically-mediated plant-soil feedbacks in a low and a high intensity agroecosystem. Plant and Soil. December 2014. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2336-x